When In The Fire, What Lies Do You Believe? (Part 2)
How Do We Gain the Victory in the Midst of the Fire?
In part one, we discussed our transformation and the renewing of our minds; now let’s focus on Hope in the Fire.
FIRST: We must accept that this season of the refining fire is in the will of God for our lives. We must receive HOPE that this season is for our good.
SECOND: Submit to His process of the refining. (And friend, I realize this is not easy!)
THIRD: Allow the Lord to increase our faith so that we can trust Him and His intentions toward us – that they are all good! This really takes faith.
FOURTH: Pray more than you ever have before. For there is power in prayer to the Most High God. When we press in to Him and then run to Him, we will see beneficial changes starting to take place. Though you may be tired, weak, and worn out, there is power in prayer.
I call these Job moments in life. Remember the biblical story of Job? At the end of his book Job says, “With my ears I heard Thee; but now my eyes see Thee”~~ Job 42:5.
See Him! ...
See Him for Who He really is for you and your family as He starts to press out every lie that has crept in over time. You will notice that He will begin to pull back deep layers of anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, jealousy, and even rejection. And as He refines your soul and renews your spirit (as He has mine, praise God!), the refining process will result in a new ability for you to see Jesus as your Savior ever more clearly. His Word will become so much more precious and real to you, too.
My Experience . . .
Seasons of my life were filled with times of testing and refining as He burned out all of the hidden lies I had considered to be truth. In fact, they were truly lies of the enemy. And all of a sudden I made the choice to follow my deepest desire to see Him, know Him, and follow after my God as King David did. It was not always an easy choice to make, but it was worth it. Will this be your desire and choice, too?
Choose Today ...
Make the choice today to press in to His unconditional love for you; then receive all that He has for you, just as I did. Allow His transforming power to come into your heart and heal you of past wounds, past rejection, and give you His mind, His thoughts. For God's Word reads:
“'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself'” ~~ Luke 10:27 (NLT).
What Are Some Attributes of a Refined Life?
Humble, Respectful, Devoted, Trusting, Reverent, Obedient, and Faithful
The Lord Himself wants to develop these attributes in your life and mine. And as we all grow in the Spirit, He develops His Fruit of the Spirit in us, too: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Longsuffering, Goodness, Kindness, Chastity, Modesty, Generosity, Meekness and Temperance. Hallelujah! If you haven't already, will you begin the journey with me today? And friend, let me just say that living like this is oh, so worth it!
My Desire For You ...
I hope you will choose to really start living in God's Kingdom. And what is this Kingdom? It is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. You can walk in love, in joy, and in peace every day. You can think on the Lord. You can set your affections upon Him. You can pray to Him, and He will hear and answer you! We beckon to you today to come into this new way of living. We pray that soon you will be able to say like Job did that now you have “Eyes to see Him.”
God was there for me in my time of spiritual famine. Jesus made me all brand new – really alive!, and He birthed a new beginning and a deep restoration that changed my heart and life forever. And He can and will do this for you and your family, too, if you will ask Him to and allow Him to make the changes that are needed.
Today I present before you an opportunity – a choice – to walk in faith or to walk in fear – to be healed or to continue living a miserable life. Start by choosing the Lord’s will and way. Seek His face. Pray to Him. Ask Him to do what is needed in your life to deliver you from all evil and all of the enemy's lies.
Let’s Pray …
Lord God, I ask You to reveal Yourself to me. I now make You my Lord and Savior. Heal the woundedness in my heart. I ask You to place a hedge of protection around my heart, life, and family. I choose to resist the enemy, and he must flee from me NOW!
Lord God, make me completely new – mind, body, and in my soul and spirit. Give me Your thoughts. I want to live IN YOUR KINGDOM, have supernatural righteousness, peace, and joy, and receive Your mercy and grace from now on. I receive this transformation right now, in Jesus’ Name! Amen!
Meditate Upon These Scriptures …
“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” ~~ Proverbs 23:7.
“...for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” ~~ Romans 14:17 (NKJV).
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” ~~ John 10:10 (NKJV).
“'For who has understood the mind of the LORD so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ” ~~ 1 Corinthians 2:16.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.” This is the LORD’s declaration. “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” ~~ Isaiah 55:8-9 (HCSB).
“After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do'” ~~ Acts 13:22.
“Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” ~~ Psalms 23:6 (NIV).
“The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” ~~ Psalms 27:1 (NIV).
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” ~~ Galatians 5:22-23 (HCSB).
“Who has known the mind of the LORD so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” ~~ 1 Corinthians 2:16 (NIV).
~~ Elizabeth Bowman